Political activist and trade unionist James La Guma is born

Updated: 30 Sep 2019

Political activist and trade unionist James La Guma is born

Political activist and trade unionist James Arnold (Jimmy) La Guma, member of the South African Communist Party (SACP) and president of the South African Coloured People's Organisation (SACPO) from 1957 - 1959 was born in Bloemfontein. He joined the Communist Party in 1925 and visited the Soviet Union (USSR) more than once. La Guma was an ardent Africanist and believed that the empowerment of a Black political leadership was necessary for the success of communism in South Africa. He is the father of Alex La Guma, one of the 156 Treason Trial plaintiffs in 1956.

How we know this

01Verwey, E.J. (ed)(1995). New Dictionary of South African Biography, v.1, Pretoria: HSRC.
02sacp,’ South African Communist Party’,[online],Available at www.sahistory.org.za [Accessed: 16 August 2013]

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, March 16). Political activist and trade unionist James La Guma is born. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011161

South African History Online (2011) 'Political activist and trade unionist James La Guma is born', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011161 (Accessed: 7 October 2026).

South African History Online, Political activist and trade unionist James La Guma is born [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011161, (accessed 7 October 2026).

"Political activist and trade unionist James La Guma is born." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011161. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

South African History Online. "Political activist and trade unionist James La Guma is born." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011161.